


Diagnostic Kisses

by wordsarelifealways



Category: SKAM (Norway)
Genre: Caring Even Bech Næsheim, Ficlet, M/M, Sick Isak Valtersen, Sickfic, university students Evak
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-16
Updated: 2019-08-16
Packaged: 2020-09-02 09:38:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,567
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20273821
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wordsarelifealways/pseuds/wordsarelifealways
Summary: Isak catches a cold and runs a nasty fever





	Diagnostic Kisses

**Author's Note:**

> this was basically a little warm up ficlet to get me back in the habit! from the prompt generator which gave me: Even kisses Isak's forehead to see if he has a fever

Isak had been working nonstop on his assignments and experiment proposal for weeks, including one stressful late-night library session when Isak got caught in an absolute downpour while he was waiting for the bus home. Even had heard him stumbling back into the flat in the small hours of the morning and there had been a distinctive _squelch_ to each of his footsteps, shortly followed by several wet slaps against the tiles in the bathroom as Isak shed his sodden clothes.

Even couldn’t remember the last time he hadn’t seen Isak in some sort of studying set up. Any attempts at date night or eating dinner together got derailed when Isak’s anxiety crept back in and he threw himself back into his studies with more gusto than ever.

Not even their sex life had been safe from Isak’s fear of falling behind; Even had caught Isak staring at his notes on the bedside table while Even was buried inside him, which had left quite a bruise on Even’s ego if he was honest. Although putting the extra effort in to win back Isak’s attention had certainly paid off well for both of them, if his memory served him well.

Which it did.

Most nights.

And most showers.

He missed his boyfriend, alright?

There was no way he could begrudge Isak his hard work, not when Even was also working his ass off, but at least Even was able to switch his ‘work’ brain off and have some personal time. Isak’s brain just didn’t seem to have that switch, and Even watched helplessly as the love of his life burnt the candle at both ends with no apparent breaks.

So, to say that Even was surprised to get home and find the flat completely silent was an understatement. There was almost always _some_ sound: the clattering of a keyboard, the buzzing from Isak’s earphones, the scratch of pens across paper as Isak scribbled out intricate and baffling mind maps that he somehow turned into high grade papers, Isak tapping some part of his body against their furniture (his foot on the floor, his knee against the table leg, his fingers on the table top) trying to work off the energy numerous energy drinks had given him.

“Isak?” He double checked their key hook in case his eyes had played tricks on him, but no: Isak’s keys were definitely dangling there next to his own. So, unless Isak had locked himself out – which was way more Even’s thing – the guy was definitely around here somewhere.

“Bedroom.” Isak sounded slurry, but he never really drank at home unless they were pre-gaming. Somehow Even doubted that Isak was pre-gaming _alone_ in their bedroom on a random Wednesday evening during the pissing rain. Isak had been known to flat out cancel plans to avoid rain like this.

“How was your day?” Even called as he slipped his shoes off and put them on the rack next to the door.

“Weird.” Isak’s answer stopped Even in his tracks.

“Weird how?” He finally asked when he remembered how to walk, crossing the living room to get to their bedroom door.

“I don’t know. Just weird.” Isak was shaking his head when Even came into their room, but even without properly looking at him Even could tell that something was wrong. His boyfriend’s usually organised notes were strewn haphazardly over their bed, and the writing in the notebook next to him was a shaky messy that barely followed the lines.

“What have you been doing?” Even already knew the answer was going to be _studying_, but it felt rude not to ask. He sat on the edge of the bed and took a good look at his boyfriend, which was all he needed to deduce that Isak was definitely sick.

Beneath the flush on his cheeks his skin was almost grey, and his eyes were glassy and didn’t seem to focus on anything.

“Just trying to read up on this new module, but nothing’s really sinking in.” Isak mumbled.

“Have you eaten today?” Even hadn’t seen any evidence on his way in of Isak even having left their bed, let alone braving the kitchen.

“Wait…you’re home.” Isak was looking at him now, his brows pulling together with the effort of focusing his gaze. “You’re home. What time is it?”

“Like half five?” Even guessed. It was pretty clear that Isak had lost a whole day to feverish delirium.

“Oh…” Isak kept staring at him, although Even could see the moment he zoned back out again.

“I think you might have caught something, baby.” Even started piling Isak’s notes together for him, deciding for Isak that study time was over for the night.

“I’m fine. I’m fine; it’s just tiredness.” Isak tried to play it off, but the stale smell of sweat clinging to him didn’t lie. Isak had been roasting all day despite the cold breeze weaving its way through their open window.

“Don’t even try it.” Even shook his head as he pulled Isak’s laptop away from his limp hands and set it safely on the floor.

“Ev, I have _work _to do!” Isak tried to protest, but his effort to retrieve his laptop was undermined by the fact he slumped over the side of their bed in a bout of dizziness before he got anywhere near it.

“So do I, Is! But you’re not going to do any decent work in this state, are you? So just let yourself rest and you can pick it up again in a few days.” Even was mildly horrified at how much he sounded like his own mother, but it was true. Isak killing himself over his work two or three times a term just wasn’t healthy and it definitely wasn’t a viable way for him to get through uni.

Even wasn’t sure he could watch Isak keep going like he had been going for much longer.

“Lie back.” Even helped Isak up from where he was still face down over his side of the bed until his boy was leaning back against their pile of pillows in a more comfortable position. Isak was trying his best to glare at him, but through the glaze in his eyes it just looked like he was mildly confused. Even didn’t have the heart to tell him that he didn’t look as foreboding as he probably thought he did.

He eased Isak down into the bed, arranging the pillows under him, and secured the duvet up over Isak’s chest. That alone almost seemed to put Isak to sleep, which just further proved Even’s theory that Isak was overworking himself.

“I love you, baby, but you need to stop putting your grades above everything else.” Even murmured, taking a moment to just sit with his boyfriend and push his sweaty hair away from his face.

“Mmm?” Isak sighed, already trying to pull the duvet up to his nose.

“Never mind.” Even shook his head fondly and allowed himself a few moments to just watch Isak rest. It was a real testament to how crap Isak must have been feeling for him not to tease Even about being a creep.

Once he was sure Isak had settled enough he bent down and pressed a kiss to his forehead, letting his lips linger against Isak’s skin for a few extra seconds to determine whether or not Isak felt hot.

“What’re you doing?” Isak mumbled before he turned on his side and tucked his knees up to his chest, burying his face into the mattress.

“Checking if you had a fever.” Even replied, stroking the damp curls away from the back of Isak’s neck. He felt hot there too.

“We have…a thermometer.” Isak reminded him, but Even waved the comment away.

“I don’t need a thermometer to tell me what my lips already know! You have a fever, and you’re going to sleep it off.” He absolutely was not going to take no for an answer. Isak was going to get some goddamn rest even if it killed them both.

“Thermometer.” Isak repeated. “Proof.” He added a few seconds later.

“You won’t believe me but you’ll believe that little strip? Tsk!” Even tutted his disapproval, but did his due diligence as boyfriend to get the thermometer strip out of their medicine box and pressed it to Isak’s forehead.

It didn’t take long for the numbers to all illuminate, and Even couldn’t contain his cringe when it stopped just after 40°.

“There; is 40° proof enough for you?” Even held the strip out for Isak to see, despite the fact that Isak was already half way to sleep again. Quiet stretched between them until eventually Even realised Isak must have fallen asleep. He gave Isak one last kiss before putting the thermometer strip away again and finally getting out of his outdoor clothes, trying to be as quiet around their room as he could.

You can imagine how he nearly hit the ceiling with fright when Isak suddenly giggled under the duvet a few minutes later.

“Hey, Ev…” Isak whispered, his words slurring together with no respect for each other’s personal space.

“Yeah, baby?”

“You have diagnostic kisses. I should write a paper about _you_.” Isak laughed again, until unbelievably he fell back asleep mid-laugh.

Yeah.

There was no way Isak was writing _anything_ any time soon.

And that suited Even just fine.

**Author's Note:**

> hope you liked it!
> 
> [the blog](http://isaksredscarf.tumblr.com)   
[the twitter](https://twitter.com/isaksredscarf99)


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